Through a shared passion for innovation and chemistry and a belief in making a sustainable impact for their communities, global chemical companies AECI and Dow (NYSE: DOW) have partnered to empower Oliver’s Village with sustainable agriculture.
Oliver’s Village is a non-governmental organisation outside of Benoni that provides a variety of social services to the most under- resourced people of Daveyton. They support more than 600 people daily with services including, an Early Childhood Development Centre, computer training for the youth, food, enterprise development among others.
For the past eight years, AECI has invested more than R2 million (more than US$130,000) in Oliver’s Village and has enabled the organisation to be a fully sustainable, off-the grid operation. The investments have been made towards programmes such as the chicken coop, bakery, underground water services, solar panels, food gardening services, upgrades to the property and much more.
AECI and Dow are now expanding on these services to further enhance sustainable solutions Oliver’s Village will create for those it serves.Through the Company’s Business Impact Fund, Dow is investing R1.5 million (US$100,000) towards Oliver’s Village, which will be used to expand their Social Enterprise Development and Emerging Farmer Training Programme. This programme will train young people on planting and growing their own food and subsequently generating profit from sales.
The Dow Business Impact Fund is a competitive grant program that designates corporate contributions toward projects that are designed to help address social problems through the Company’s technology and expertise. The Fund emphasizes collaboration with external partners like AECI and Oliver’s Village. Proposals for funding come directly from Dow employees around the world, tapping into their unique skills, business knowledge and diversity of locations and experiences.
“As AECI, we delight in engaging in a partnership such as this, in order to bring about long-lasting and sustainable change to the most vulnerable people of South Africa. Our social responsibility philosophy and associated commitments are reflected in our new strategy: we are “One AECI, for a better world”. As a responsible corporate citizen, we are committed to transformation and have placed societal purpose at the core of our business,” said Quintin Cross: Managing Director: AECI Animal and Plant Health.
“At Dow, our ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company, with a purpose to deliver a sustainable future through our materials science expertise and collaboration with our partners. This collaboration with AECI is part of living our purpose,” said Cicelia Van Rooi, Managing Director of Dow Southern Africa.
